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Republic of Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson admitted simply “surviving this camp” would feel like a “massive win” on the eve of another controversial Nations League clash with Israel.
The Republic’s ‘home’ leg is set to be played behind closed doors in Backa Topola, Serbia on Sunday, the second match of a controversial tie which has divided opinion.
Hallgrimsson’s pre-match press conference on Saturday was cut short after tempers flared in the room.
Asked if reaching seven points with victory on Sunday would feel like a success, Hallgrimsson said: “I don’t know how I want to answer that question, if it should come from my heart or as a coach or as a person, or as a leader.
“Surviving this camp, coming out of it together as one, would be a massive win for me. That is coming from my heart, I think all the challenges that this team has gone through, all the criticism… that would be a big win for me and for this group, for the association, that will be a big, big win if we go through this undamaged.
“Obviously having another three points would be more probably than I could have asked for before the camp, knowing what was to come.
“You never know when you go into an environment like this how players will react, but that has been the most pleasing thing for me, is to see their togetherness and how they stand up for each other.
“Whatever they have done, they have done it with respect to the situation, to each other. And after this, I’ve said it so many times, I think this bond of brothers will be stronger than ever, and all the obstacles that this group will face in the future will be lesser than it actually is.
“I think when we look back at this camp, in hindsight, we’ll say, ‘this is the moment we grew the most’. We stepped up as persons, as leaders, supported each other, and the main thing is we stuck together.”
The press conference ended shortly after an Israeli journalist asked about the attack onboard a FlyDubai flight bound for Israel earlier this week. The co-pilot of that flight is suspected of stabbing the captain.
There was a request from the Irish press officer to keep the line of inquiry to “football questions”, and Hallgrimsson took a question about Finn Azaz’s availability.
A different Israeli journalist made claim of racism against the Irish players, an allegation that the Irish press officer said was “completely untrue”, before he ended the press conference as shouting continued.
FAI representatives requested the Israel press leave a subsequent embargoed media opportunity with Hallgrimsson – intended for Irish press only – in a seating area outside the room, sparking another confrontation.
A solution was eventually found to hold the briefing elsewhere in the building.
Earlier, Hallgrimsson revealed captain Dara O’Shea had remained in London, where his partner is expected to give birth soon. There is still a chance he could make the Israel match.
PA